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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 116 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  19. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  22. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. pitch — a sports field
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. cap — of ice
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. can — to be able to
  7. can — a tin
  8. can — a tin
  9. cue — for pool
  10. cap — a hat
  11. row — to paddle
  12. pitch — completely
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. stem — to come from
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. cue — a hint
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. cap — a lid
  19. stem — a stem cell
  20. rock — music
  21. row — a quarrel
  22. row — a line
  23. cue — a signal
  24. rock — a stone

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com